Spring passed, autumn came, winters and summers cycled by, and in the blink of an eye, two years had flown past.
In the early morning, sunlight filtered through the window into a small room of about fifteen or sixteen square meters.
This little room was situated in a farmhouse courtyard, facing south. Upon opening the door, one could immediately see a hunting bow hanging on the wall, directly opposite the door.
Below the bow was a three-foot-high desk, scattered with a few drawings.
On the west side, a shelf three feet off the ground had three wooden layers, filled with puppet models.
The bottom row displayed several house models; the middle row held lifelike clay dolls; the top row displayed wooden carvings of cute little animals in various poses.
On the east side was a three-foot-high wooden couch, upon which slept a boy about four feet long.
He closed his eyes with a gentle smile, breathing steadily, curled up as if still in the womb.
Sunlight slowly moved across his body, and only when it reached his face did his eyelashes flutter, and he slowly opened his clear, black-and-white eyes.
He tilted his head, watching the dust floating in the sunlight through the window, lost in thought.
Suddenly, a mosquito buzzed in through the window, heading straight for the boy as if it had found a delicacy.
Hearing the sound, Qin Yi instinctively jabbed with his right hand, and the buzzing abruptly ceased.
He came back to his senses, glanced at the mosquito dead between his index and middle fingers, and flicked it out the window casually.
"I'm really getting strange. Waking up in the morning, seeing dust in the sunlight, and thinking about the I Ching?"
Reading too much isn't always a good thing, he thought, shaking his head with a smile as he got out of bed.
Over the past few years, Qin Yi had discovered that after drinking the nourishing soup instead of meals, even without washing, his mouth always smelled fresh and his body stayed clean.
He habitually stood at the door, marking his growth with his fingernail on the doorframe.
"Grew a few more millimeters again!"
Since starting martial arts, Qin Yi seemed to have entered puberty early; in just two short years, he had grown nearly two feet.
Without the energy provided by skill level-ups, his body would likely have suffered various small problems from such rapid growth, but now he remained healthy.
He examined his body, satisfied. Despite two years of training, he hadn't become a muscle-bound brute. His physique was naturally well-lined yet powerful, combined with his handsome face… Qin Yi couldn't have been more pleased with himself.
After dressing, locking the door, and greeting Zhen Niang, he hurried to the west courtyard of the village.
"Master."
"Yi, since you completed Strong Cognition and entered Broad Knowledge, you first studied Numbers, then the I Ching. Today, what will you study?"
"Master, I have a name now: Yi, Qin Yi. Please don't call me Dàtóu anymore, okay?"
Qin Xu smiled and nodded. "Alright, Yi."
Qin Yi sighed, giving up on the issue of his name, and continued, "Master, I want to study Music today, and learn an instrument as well."
"Oh? Good. Flute, qin, zheng, drum, or bell. Which one do you like?"
His eyes lit up. "Master, I like all of them. Can you teach me all?"
"Wishful thinking—you can only choose one!"
"You can only choose one?" Qin Yi muttered disappointedly, tilting his head in thought. "Then… the flute."
"Oh? Why choose the flute?" Qin Xu raised an eyebrow, curious.
"The other four are too large and inconvenient to carry. The flute is the instrument most like a sword; even without using a sword, it can serve as a sword."
Hearing this, Qin Xu laughed and shook his head. "You haven't even learned it yet, and you're already thinking of using it like a sword. You really aren't a proper musician."
He laughed, then seeing Qin Yi's accusing gaze, remembered that it was he who insisted that Qin Yi base all skill learning on swordsmanship. He was the originator.
Awkwardly, he chuckled, "Alright, start with studying Music. In a couple of days, I'll teach you the flute."
"Yes, Master."
When Qin Yi went to the library, Qin Xu reminded him, "When reading, always read with questions. Don't ask me immediately; try to find answers yourself first. Once you find an answer, then combine it with mine. If you still have doubts, we can discuss further. Remember, my answers are not always correct. Don't let them limit your own wisdom."
"Yes, Master."
Once Qin Yi disappeared into the library, Huang Lao laughed, whispering, "Master, you forgot yesterday—who was silenced by Yi during Dàtóu's debate? And in anger, called him a traitor?"
Qin Xu cleared his throat; that's why he reminded Qin Yi again today, fearing yesterday's incident would intimidate him from asking questions.
"Cough, is that so? I don't remember. Oh yes, Huang Lao, did you bring the jade flute? Also prepare one for Qin Yi."
Huang Lao smiled, following the topic. "Master, what kind of flute will you choose for Dàtóu?"
"At first, we won't use an expensive one—just a bamboo flute."
"Which bamboo?"
"Purple Spirit Bamboo. I remember a short piece in stock; it's enough to make one flute for practice."
Huang Lao looked at Qin Xu; he really was spoiling Qin Yi, using precious purple spirit bamboo just for a practice flute.
"Why the look, Huang Lao?"
Huang Lao quickly recovered. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about who would make the bamboo flute."
Qin Xu nodded seriously. "Yes, the craftsman must be chosen carefully… Huang Lao, how about Master Sun?"
Master Sun? The renowned instrument master of Suiyang Hou Mansion? Even though you have a close relationship with the Feng master of Suiyang Hou Mansion, Master, you can't waste favors like that.
"Uh, Master, as long as you're happy."